Electric-arc lamp.



No. 678,5I7. Patented July l6, l90l. W. F. BITTER.

ELECTRIC ARC LAMP.

(Application filed Mar. 21, 1901.) (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet l.

Pater lted luly l6, 19m.

2'Sheets8haat 2;

W. F; BITTER.

ELECTRIC ARC LAMP.

(No o el.) (Apph anon med Mar 21 1901 UNITED STATES PATENT Orrrcn.

WILLIAM F BITTER, OF CINCINNATI, OHIO.

ELECTRIC-ARC LAM P.

SPECIFICATION forlning part Of Letters Patent N 0. 678,517, dated July16, 1901. Application filed March 21, 1901. Serial No. 62,181. (Nomodel.)

To a. whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM F. BITTER, a citizen of the United States ofAmerica, and a resident of Oincinnati,in the county of Hamilton andState of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inElectrio-Arc Lamps, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to certain improvements in electric lamps, andhas for its object to provide an arc-lamp of a simple and inexpensivenature and of a strong and durable construction having improved meansfor supporting the carbon electrodes in place and for connecting thesame in the electric circuit and also provided with improved means forregulating the movement of the upper electrode.

The invention consists in certain novel features of construction,combination, and arrangement of the several parts of the improved lamp,whereby certain important advantages are attained, and the device ismade simpler, cheaper, and otherwise better adapted and more convenientfor use, all as will be hereinafter fully set forth.

The novel features of the invention will be carefully defined intheclaims.

In the accompanying drawings, which serve to illustrate myinvention,Figure 1 is a view showing the improved lamp in side elevation and on areduced scale. Fig. 2 is an enlarged sectional view taken verticallythrough the lamp in substantially the plane indicated by the line a a inFig. 4. Fig. 3 is a partial sectional view taken vertically through thelamp in the plane indicated by the line b b in Fig. 4;. Fig. tisa'horizontal section taken through the upper part of the lamp in theplane indicated by the line 0 c in Fig. 1. Fig.

5 is a sectional view taken -horizontally through the lamp in the planeindicated by the line at d in Fig. 3. Fig. 6 is a fragmentary sectionalview taken through the lower frame-plate in the plane indicated by theline e e in Fig. 5 and showing the means for supporting the lowercarbon. Fig. 7 is a view similar to Fig. 4, but showing the upper-carbonholder in transverse section. Fig. Sis an enlarged sectional detail viewtaken through the lower electrode-holder in the plane indidicated by theline ff in Fig. 2.

As shown in the drawings, the improved lamp has a frame formed of anupper circular plate 1, a central annular plate 2 of diameter equal toplate 1, and a lower plate 3 ofless diameter than plates 1 and 2, thesaid plates being held together in the frame byvertical rods or bolts 44, three in number and arranged equidistant from each other. The saidrods or bolts 1 4 have reduced and screw threaded lower ends 5 5, whichare passed through the central frame-plate 2 and have their lowerextremities screwed into the lower frame-plate 3. Nuts 6 on said rods orbolts support the plate 2, as shown in Fig. 2.

The lower carbon electrode is supported below the lamp-frame by means ofan arm 7, which depends below the lower plate 3 and is formed at itsupper end with a reduced and screw-threaded part 8,which is passedthrough a lug 9 on said plate 3, as shown in Figs. 1, 5, and 6, and isproperly insulated therefrom. A nut 10 is screwed on said part 8 aboveplate 3 and serves to hold the arm 7 to the frame. The lower end of thearm 7 is bent laterally and carries a forked part 11 central beneath thelamp-frame, and between the forks of said part 11 is held for verticalmovement a sleeve 12, adapted to receive in its hollow or bore the lowerelectrode cc and having at its upper part an annular flange 13, providedwith a screw 14, by means of which the electrode is held in said sleeve.

On the sleeve 12 is loosely held a washer or annulus 15, which rests onthe forked part 11, and above said washer is arranged a spiral spring16, which has engagement under the flange 13 and serves to hold thesleeve pressed up from the part 11. A cap 17 is screwed on the openlower end of the sleeve 12 in order to prevent the electrode when loosefrom falling out of the sleeve, and said cap acts as a stop to preventexcessive upward movement of the sleeve under pressure of said springand also prevents entry of air into the globe. A screw 18 is passedthrough the forks of the part 11, as shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 8, andserves to prevent the sleeve from slipping laterally from between theforks.

The flange 13 of the sleeve forms a gallery whereon rests a globe 20,the flange having a circular raised part 19 on its upper face to takeinto the lower open end of the globe and prevent lateral movementthereof. The globe 2O incloses the lower and upper electrodes as and yand at its upper end has engagement inside of an annular bead 21 on theunder side of the lower frame-plate 3. The upward pressure of the spring16 is exerted in such a way as to hold the globe 20 securely in placebetween the flange 13 and the said lower frame-plate 3.

lVithin the frame of the improved lamp are arranged parallel guides 2323, spaced apart and extended vertically at the central portion of thelamp-frame, being held at their upper ends in openings in the upperframeplate 1, through which openings the guides are slid down throughthe central space in the annular central frame-plate 2 until their lowerends rest upon the lower frame-plate 3. The guides 23 are formed, bypreference, as shown in Fig. 2, from metal tubing, having in their lowerends plugs 24, held in place by crimps 25, bent in the tubing and formedwith threaded apertures to receive screws 26, which are passed frombeneath through the lower frame-plate 3 and into said plugs to hold theguides 23 in position in the frame.

A slide 27 is arranged for vertical sliding movement between the guides23 and has arms 28 recessed to fit between the said guides and isprovided at opposite sides and between said arms 28 with brushes 29,formed from sheet metal and arranged to press upon the guides in orderto insure a perfect electrical communication between the guides and theslide 27. The slide has also at its central part a clip 30, loosely heldto the slide by means of a central screw 22, so as to be adapted foracertain extent of movement, and said clip has a screw 31, by means ofwhich the upper electrode y is held to said clip. The lower frame-plate3 has a central opening, through which the upper electrode is passeddown into the globe 20, as seen in Figs. 2 and 3.

At one side of the frame is located a resistance of a well-known kind,herein shown as supported on cleats 32, adjustably held on two of therods or bolts 4 and carrying screws 33, whereon are held insulators 34,around which are passed resistance-coils 35. One end of the resistancehas connection with one binding-post 36, insulated on the lamp-frame,while from the other end of the resistance a conductor extends to asolenoid-coil 37. The coil 37 is wound on a sleeve or tube 38, the endsof which are screw-threaded to receive the heads 39 and 40, betweenwhich the coils are held, and one of the threaded ends of said sleeve ortube 38 is made to extend beyond the head 40 and has threadedengagement, as shown at 41 in Fig. 3, with the central frameplate 2through an opening in which the said extended end of the sleeve or tubeis passed.

42 indicates the core of the solenoid, movable vertically in the tube orsleeve 38 and also formed with an axial hollow or bore, through which ispassed a stem 44, to which the core is adjustably held by means of ascrew 43. The upper end of the stem 44 carries a piston 45, which isarranged to work in a dash-pot 46, loosely held by a screw 47 on theupper frame-plate 1, while the lower end of said stem has threadedengagement with a circular or disk-like part 48, guided atits center ona pin 49, extended up from the lower frame-plate 3,the opposite or inneredge portion of said disk 48 having, as shown in Fig. 3, engagementunder one edge of an annular clutch member 50, through which the upperelectrode y is passed. The disk 48 is provided with a plurality ofopenings 48 in its edge portion and adapted to be engaged by the lowerend of stem 44, so that in case the threads in one opening become wornthe stem may be inserted in another opening. The clutch member 50 isloosely held and is capable of tilting movement when lifted at one edgeby the part 48, and when so moved its edges have engagement withopposite sides of the electrode in such a way as to firmly grip theelectrode and hold it against down- Ward movement. When the clutchmember is not uplifted by the part 48, the electrode 2 will be releasedfrom the gripping action of said clutch member and will be permitted tofall freely by gravity.

The circuit from the binding-post 36 after traversing the resistance andthe solenoid coil 37 is grounded on the frame of the lamp, so that fromsaid frame it is carried through the guides 23 and slide 27 to the upperelectrode y. The lower electrode at is in electrical communication withthe arm 7 through the sleeve 12 and the forked part 11, and from the nut10, by means of which the arm 7 is held in place beneath the frame-plate3, a conductor 52 is extended up within the frame to another insulatedbindingpost 51, as shown in Fig. 1.

In operation when the current is flowing in the lamp the circuit is fromthe bindingpost 36 through the resistance-coils 35 to the solenoid-coil37 to thelamp-frame, guides 23, slide 27, and to the upper electrode y,and thence through the lower electrode as, the sleeve 12, part 11, arm7, and wire to the binding-post 51. The solenoid acts in a wellknown wayto check and regulate the downward movement of the upper electrode, sothat the arc is preserved, and should the are be broken the solenoid,being deenergized, will at once permit the core 42 to fall and throughthe connected parts will release the upper electrode from the clutchmember 50, so that the arc may be reestablished.

The construction of the improved lamp as above described is very simple,strong, and inexpensive, the guides 23 and brushes 2!) traversing thesame affording a very simple and most effective means for insuringelectrical connection with the upper carbon without in any way hinderingthe necessary movements of the electrode and the loosely-held clip 30affording a degree of adjustability to IOO said upper carbon, so as toprevent it from being stopped in its descent by slight irregularities orby wedging of its lower end. The means for supporting the lowerelectrode are also much improved in that they throw but little shadowand permit of readily removing and replacing the electrode and globe incleaning and trimming and also in that the sleeve 12 permits theemployment of a much longer lower carbon than is ordinarily provided inlamps, so that by adjusting the carbon up in said sleeve the lamp may bemade to burn a much longer time than has heretofore been possible. Theannular bead 21 on the plate 3 also permits of using two sizes of globeon the lamp, one fitting within said bead and the other being larger andfitting outside the bead.

It will also be seen from the above description that the improved lampis capable of some modification without material departure from theprinciples and spirit of the invention, and for this reason I do notwish to be understood as limiting myself to the precise form andarrangement of the several parts as herein set forth.

Having thus described my invention, I claim- 1. In a lamp, thecombination of a frame having guides, a part adapted to carry anelectrode and held for movement between the guides and a brush havingits central portion secured to said part and having its arms extended atangles and arranged for sliding contact upon opposite sides of one ofsaid guides to insure electrical connection of said electrode,substantially as set forth,

2. In a lamp, the combination of upper and lower frame-plates, tubesheld in the upper frame-plate and having their lower ends rested on thelower frame-plate, plugs in the lower ends of the tubes, crimps in thetubes and holding said plugs in place, screws passed through the lowerframe-plate and engaged with said plugs, the tubes being parallel andforming guides and a part adapted to carry an electrode and held formovement between said guides, substantially as set forth.

3. In a lamp, the combination of a frame having guides, a slide havingarms grooved for engagement with the guides, brushes carried by theslide for engagement with the guides, a clip adaptedto carry anelectrode, and a screw passed centrally through the clip and havingthreaded engagement with the slide to hold the clip for pivotal movementon the slide, substantially as set forth.

4. In a lamp, the combination of a frame formed of three frame-plates, adash-pot held on the upper frame-plate, the central frameplate beingformed with an opening, means for supporting an electrode, a solenoidcomprising a coil wound on a tube, said tube having threaded engagementin the opening of the central frame-plate, a hollow core in said tube, astem passed through the hollow of the core and having adjustableengagement therewith, the upper part of the stem having a pistonworking'in said dash-pot and the lower end of the stem depending belowthe central frame-plate and a clutch member actuated from said stem andarranged for engagement with the electrode, substantially as set forth.

5. In a lamp, the combination of a frame, a solenoid, an annular clutchmember loosely mounted and arranged to receive an electrode passedthrough its central opening, a stem actuated from the solenoid, a parthaving threaded connection with said stem and having engagement underone side of the clutch member for tilting the same and means for guidingthe said part when moved, substantially as set forth.

6. In a lamp, the combination of a frame, a solenoid, an'annular clutchmember loosely mounted and arranged to receive an electrode passedthrough its central opening, a stern actuated from the solenoid andhaving a threaded lower end, a pin on the frame, and a disk-like partguided at its central portion on said pin and having at one side engage=ment with the threaded lower end of the stem, its other side havingengagement under the clutch member for tilting the same, substantiallyas set forth.

7. In alamp, the combination of a frame, an arm extended down from theframe, a sleeve carried by the arm and adapted to receive an electrodeand also adapted for end wise movement, means for holding the electrodeadjustably in said sleeve and a spring arranged for engagement with saidsleeve for pressing the same elastically upward, sub stantially as setforth.

8. In a lamp, the combination of a frame, an arm extended down from theframe, a sleeve carried by the frame for endwise movement, and formedwith an annular flange at its upper part, the sleeve being adapted toreceive an electrode, means for holding the electrode adj ustahly insaid sleeve, a washer loose on the sleeve and rested on the arm, and aspring coiled on the sleeve between said washer and the upper flange ofthe sleeve and arranged for pressing the sleeve elastically upward,substantially as set forth.

9. In a lamp, the combination of frame plates spaced apart, rods havingreduced and screw-threaded end portions passed through one of the platesand screwed into another of said plates, and nuts held on the threadedreduced ends of the rods for engagement under the first-named plate,substantially as set forth.

Signed at Cincinnati, Ohio, this 13th day of March, 1901.

WILLIAM F. BITTER. "Witnesses:

JOHN ELIAs Jones, L. M. J onus.

IIO

